30 Kisses AceLu
by StrawHatChick
Summary: This is my first time writing 30 kisses and Ace x Luffy! :) Most of it will be fluff, but there'll definitely be some T-rated fics and lemon. WARNING: This contains boyxboy content, so if you're uncomfortable, don't read! DISCLAIMER: I do not own One Piece, if I did I would be a god. Rated T for now, but probably will be bumped up to M soon. :)
1. Oranges

**Hello, readers! :) Thank You for clicking on that little link! So, this is going to be a 30 kisses challenge. I hope you'll like it! Please stick with me for 30 chapters! ^^ **

**Pairing: Ace x Luffy**

**Theme: #01 Oranges**

**Rating: K - T**

**Note: Ace and Luffy are kids.**

**[Oranges.]**

"Hmm! This is delicious, Ace!"

Luffy grinned behind the big mouthful of orange fruit. Ace smirked. "Of course, ba—ka. _I'm_ the one who picked them this time!"

Luffy swallowed all the fruit down before pouting with wide, chocolate eyes at his older brother. "Ace~ That was mean, Ace! I hate you!"

Luffy got up from the big log and went to sit down by a red-leaved tree, munching on the oranges and grumbling about how Ace was an idiot.

Ace felt just a little guilty; and brought the whole sack of oranges to Luffy, and plopped down beside him. Luffy glanced at Ace and turned away, his back facing him. Ace sighed. "Luffy, come on, I didn't mean it that seriously..! And besides, aren't you better at… um…"

Luffy was looking over his shoulder at Ace, his big eyes waiting hopefully for Ace to say something nice about him.

But Ace was mumbling to himself. _What should I tell him?! I can't say sports, or fishing, or climbing trees, or running, or… Anything! But I don't want to upset him either…_ Ace had a mental war in his head. Suddenly the older sibling's eyes lit up, and he grinned down at Luffy.

"You're better at being a younger brother." Luffy's eyes clouded with confusion, and he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. A few seconds later Luffy cheered up and jumped Ace.

His arms clung tightly around Ace and he nuzzled into Ace's shoulder. "Arigatou*, Ace! I don't really know what you mean, but I know what you said was nice! Honto—ni arigatou*!"

Luffy drew back and smiled the sweetest smile at Ace. The older sibling wrapped his arms around Luffy's tiny waist and grinned back at him.

Suddenly Luffy brought his lips near Ace's and licked the edge of his mouth.

Ace's eyes went as wide as gramps' saucepans and his hair fell out of his face when Luffy brushed it away slightly.

He felt Luffy lick a trail from the edge of his mouth down to his chin. Luffy drew back on his heels and smiled.

"Ace, why is your face so red?"

Ace's face was then a nice shade of red, and he was covering his mouth. His eyebrows were knotted together, and his eyes were fixed on Luffy's.

"Luffy… What did you just…Do?"

Luffy tilted his head in confusion and he said, "Oh, there was orange juice dripping from your mouth. I wanted to help Ace because I love Ace!" He grinned and giggled.

Ace was still blushing. Really badly.

_Luffy…He kissed me! Well, near-kiss. He was at the edge of my mouth! And he was licking me! Where the hell did he learn to do something like that?!_

Luffy's arms still hung around Ace's neck, and he was as calm as ever, like he had _not _ just nearly-kissed his brother.

Ace decided to do something equally daring and dangerous.

It was Luffy's turn to feel something licking a trail from his mouth to his chin.

Luffy's eyes opened right away and his giggle died on his lips. "Ace…What are you doing?"

Ace drew back and said, "There was orange juice dripping from your mouth too. I just want to be a good big brother."

Luffy knew Ace meant well, but something in his onii-chan's *eyes showed the slightest hint of hunger.

Ace smirked and hugged Luffy tightly, breathing in his scent. Luffy sat on Ace's lap, and it was comfortable. Maybe _too _comfortable.

Ace grabbed the oranges and peeled one, letting Luffy inhale most of it before taking a slice for himself.

"Na, Luffy… Have you ever done that to anyone else before?" Ace was looking right at Luffy, his gaze unwavering.

Luffy stopped eating and talked around the oranges. "Nope, Ace! You're the only one! Because you're my onii-chan!" _He's so stupidly innocent…_ Ace gave a soft sigh of relief.

"Good. Don't you dare do that to anyone else, Luffy! You're _my _ototo*. Got it?"

Ace grinned and ruffled Luffy's hair after a happy yes from the little boy. They sat that way for a while, munching (and in Luffy's case, inhaling) the oranges.

Suddenly Garp was running towards them.

Ace stopped eating and his orange fell to the ground, half-eaten. _Shit, no way… Did he see us doing that?!_

Garp was yelling at them. "YOU LITTLE RASCALS! YOU'RE TEN THOUSAND YEARS TOO EARLY TO BE DOING THAT SORT OF THING! YOU BOYS NEED ANOTHER TASTE OF MY FIST OF LOVE!"

_Dame!*_

Ace felt the adrenaline rush into him and he hurriedly jumped up from the old log, carrying Luffy in his arms. "Ace! Jii-chan* is coming at us! We've gotta go! Hurry, Ace!"

Ace dashed off, running into the dense forest, carrying Luffy along with him. Luffy looked over Ace's shoulder, and he visibly paled.

Ace worriedly looked at his little brother. "What is it, Luffy? What's behind us?" Ace felt fear growing in his gut.

"Jii-chan…He's going to throw your oranges at us! He's suuuuuper close now!" Ace's mouth dropped wide open in shock as he hastened his pace, trying to get as far away from gramps.

Ace felt something hard and sticky slam into his back. "GYAAAAA! AAAAACCCEEEEE! HE'S STARTED!"

Ace saw a deserted path hidden by a bunch of rocks, and he ran straight for it, jumping behind it.

Ace had no idea there would be a drop down into a running stream.

Ace's eyes bugged out and he flipped himself and Luffy over, so that he was on the bottom.

They smashed into the stream, Ace covering Luffy's mouth and nose to block out the water and his yells. The two brothers calmed down, and Ace slowly carried Luffy onto the shore, laying him down. They coughed out all the swallowed water, the older sibling patting his little brother's back gently.

The collapsed from fatigue under a tree, catching their breath.

"Aaaaaacceeeeee….! What's jii-chan gonna do when we get home later….?" Ace paled this time. _I have no idea, damn it! But… I'm glad that… that… happened._

"I don't know, Luffy. But let's just rest now. We can pick more oranges later. Gramps must've thrown them all already."

Luffy was already snoring softly on Ace's chest. Their legs were wrapped around each other's', and Ace put his arm around his little brother and closed his eyes.

He planted a soft, lovely kiss on Luffy's forehead before falling asleep.

An orange floated down the stream.

OoOoOo

***Arigatou – Thank You**

***Honto—ni arigatou – Thank You very much**

***onii-chan – older brother**

***ototo – younger brother**

***dame – bad/oh no**

***jii-chan – grandfather**

**That was the 1st fic! /(*-*)/ Thanks for Reading! Please leave a review, I wanna know if I've got anything to improve on..?**

**StrawHatChick~**


	2. Pens On The Floor

**Hello! :) Wow, wasn't that a ridiculously quick update? Well, it's okay cause I'm done with the second oneshot. So... Here you go! Hope you'll like it!**

**Theme: Pens on The Floor**

**Pairing: Ace x Luffy**

**Rating: K+**

**Note: Ace and Luffy (and their classmates too, like Zoro/Sanji/Robin/Nami) are all kids. Garp is still Garp.**

**[Pens on The Floor.]**

"Na, Ace. We'll always be brothers, right?"

Luffy was whispering to Ace, his eyes wide and hopeful. He was biting his lip as his mouth trembled. Their desks were pushed together, and Garp-sensei was writing something on the chalkboard.

Ace glanced at his little brother.

He smiled warmly and hung his arm around Luffy's shoulders, bringing him in close. "Of course, Luffy. We'll always be brothers. After all, we've already exchanged sake cups, right?" Ace smirked at Luffy as the younger sibling gave a big grin full of relief.

"But, Ace! I want everyone to know that we're brothers! So that our bond will never die, because if one of us forgets, then there'll be _loooots_ of other people to remind us!" Luffy gestured with his arms in the air, and Ace laughed. That laugh was a _little_ too loud.

Garp was on Ace like glue. "ACE! DETENTION! YOU TOO, LUFFY!" And he continued mumbling before walking back to the chalkboard.

The class burst into laughter. Even Zoro and Sanji stopped their bickering to snicker and shake their heads at the D brothers.

Luffy was laughing along with them, god knows why. Luffy was always so carefree, and wasn't in the least intimidated by Garp-sensei.

Ace rubbed the sore spot on his head where Garp had hit him with his 'fist of LOVE', and clenched his teeth, grinding them together in irritation. "Ace! Stop it! You're going to hurt yourself!" Luffy grabbed his older sibling's jaw and forced him to stop.

Ace felt the _very_ close contact between them and blushed slightly.

"Oooh~ Ace is blushing~ For whatever reason could that be, ne? Robin~" The redhead whispered to the raven-haired girl that sat beside her, who was diligently writing notes.

Robin paused from her writing and turned to look at Nami. "Fufufu*, indeed, Nami." She chuckled softly and the two shared sly winks.

- In Detention -

Garp was asleep.

He was sitting, or half-lying on his chair, his big, white jacket draped over the back. He was snoring loudly, and he was drooling.

"Damn old geezer. Is it wrong to laugh?" Ace grumbled, folding his arms across his chest and slumping in his tiny chair.

Their desks were together again, and they had been doodling pictures on them. There was a cute little marimo, a round swirly thing and some flowers on Luffy's. Ace couldn't make out the rest; his little brother's drawings weren't exactly the best. Ace had drawn fire. He liked fire; it had this magnetic effect on him.

Ace fell asleep suddenly, his forehead knocking against the wooden desk. Luffy heard soft snores from his older brother. _He fell asleep again… I wanted to ask him something…!_ Luffy pouted and brought his knees up to his chest, hugging them.

Almost a split second later Ace woke up and continued doodling like nothing had happened. _Ace is so funny…_ Luffy giggled quietly.

"Na, Ace!" Luffy shook his brother's shoulder, and he turned to look at him.

"About just now, in class! I was saying I wanted everyone to know that we're brothers, ne? Do you remember?" Luffy looked up at Ace with big, innocent eyes.

Ace grinned and nodded, waiting for Luffy to continue. "So… How're we going to do it?" Luffy's face took on a confused expression, and he rested his chin on his palm, thinking.

_How..? To make everyone know… Maybe a_ …"Mark!" Ace grinned widely at his little brother. "Mark? What do you mean?"

Ace looked around the classroom. He'd forgotten to take his and Luffy's backpacks to school, cause Makino-san was going on a rampage about how the two had finished the entire orphanage's food supply that _could_ have lasted a week.

_I need a pen, a marker or something…_ He spotted something dark lying on the ground near Garp-sensei's table, at the front of the class.

They were pens on the floor.

Ace's eyes lit up and he slowly tiptoed to the front of the class, and picked up the pens, all without making a single sound.

He returned to Luffy and held out the pens. "What color do you want?"

Luffy smiled and his eyes were full of sparkles as he looked at the colorful collection of pens. "Hmm… Blue! Cause it's the color of the ocean! Shishishi*!"

Ace chuckled and took the blue one. He pondered over something for a little while before taking the black and silvery white pens. "Eh, Ace? I thought we're using blue?"

Ace smiled warmly at his innocent little brother and whispered, "Just wait and see, ototo*."

With that the older sibling began drawing on Luffy's hand. Intricate black lines were drawn on lightly tanned skin in a wonderful pattern. It was somewhat gothic, in the shape of a diamond. Ace drew cute arches and circles with rings in black, before drawing two white crossbones on top of them.

The colors didn't mix, because Ace was really careful with his work. "Ace…It's so pretty! How come you can draw so well?" Luffy looked at his older brother in awe.

"Hahaha, it just takes a little practice, is all. If you try hard, I'm sure you can do it too, Luffy." Ace grinned, showing white teeth.

But Luffy wasn't smiling. He was pouting, with a very sad frown. His eyes were dark and unhappy. Ace caught on and brushed Luffy's bangs out of his eyes. "What is it, Luffy? Did I hurt you?" Ace looked at Luffy's hand. There wasn't a single scratch on it.

"No… I'm sad because my drawing isn't as good as Ace's. No matter how hard I try I can't match Ace's talent… Our hands won't look the same if I draw…" A soft sob escaped the younger brother's lips.

Ace immediately hugged his little brother tightly, his hands messing up his dark hair. "Daijoubu*, Luffy. I'll make them look the same, okay? Let me show you."

Ace released Luffy and took his hand instead.

The older brother messed the art up.

He made his black lines grow crooked and his white bones mix with them. He then used the blue pen to scrawl out a thick, messy D.

When Ace was done Luffy had his mouth wide open in shock.

His hand looked exactly like how it would if Luffy himself had drawn it on. Ace had copied his drawing style exactly! "Ace..! I love you!"

Luffy jumped onto his onii-chan*, burying his face into his shoulder. Ace hugged back just as fiercely; glad that Luffy's pain had been washed away.

He grinned into Luffy's nice-smelling hair.

"Arigatou*, onii-chan! I love you so much!" Luffy drew back and smiled through his tears.

"No problem. This is just what big brothers do!" Ace grinned, wiping away Luffy's tears with his hand. "Come on, it's your turn to draw on your onii-chan's hand!"

Luffy clapped softly and took the three colors, imitating what Ace had drawn on his own hand. When Luffy had finished his art, they put their two hands together and admired their work.

They looked at each other and gave sly smiles. "Now everyone's gonna know! Arigatou, Ace!"

Luffy squirmed in his tiny, wooden chair and looked up at Ace lovingly.

"Arigatou, Ace. I don't know how many times I've thanked you today, but you re—ally deserve it! For making our hands have the same mark! You're the best big brother ever!"

Ace blushed furiously and playfully punched his brother in the gut. Luffy giggled.

"I'm your little brother."

"I'm your big brother."

"Always?"

"Always."

Ace planted a sweet kiss on Luffy's forehead.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

***fufufu – A way of laughing**

***shishishi – A way of laughing**

***ototo – younger brother**

***daijoubu – it's alright/everything's fine/okay**

***onii-chan – older brother**

***arigatou – thank you**

**Thanks for reading! Please leave a review! Anything I can improve on...? Flames are welcome! Not too much though, if not I'll be burned into a crisp with no fingers to type. I WANT ALL OF YOU TO KNOW, IN YOUR HEARTS, THAT I LOVE YOU. FOR READING THIS. THANK YOU! 3**


	3. Ringing

**Hello, everyone! :) Sorry for not updating these few days, I've been reeeeaaalllyy busy. But here's the 3rd Chapter, hope you'll enjoy it! :)**

**I'd like to thank each and every person who has favorited, followed and reviewed! And of course, _very _special thanks to...**

**ALL OF YOU FOR READING!**

**Theme: Ringing**

**Pairing: Ace x Luffy**

**Rating: K+**

**Note: Ace and Luffy are kids.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own One Piece, if I did I would shave my head bald and eat a thousand live snails.**

**[Ringing.]**

Luffy had always been frightened of loud noises since he could remember.

_The biggest truck I'd ever seen roared through the street. I had to cover my ears and crouch down hugging my knees, in a dark alley to make the fear go away, to make the loud noises leave me alone. To make the ringing in my ears disappear._

Luffy winced painfully.

_Boys were yelling to each other in the tiny classroom. Girls were giggling manically and gossiping about something. Chairs kept being thrown against the walls, and the boys continued playing tag, jumping on tables, knocking heavy books over to the ground in puffs of dust._

_Every single day I would cover my ears a hard as I could, scrunch my eyes shut and wish for the loud noises to go away. I would always wish for them to stop. The ringing would always be there._

Luffy gasped and clutched his damp T-shirt.

_The animals that growled and snarled at me… Had the most terrifying red eyes. Their claws were always the sharpest. Their heavy panting was always the most disturbing. It was always the animals that made loud noises that were my worst nightmares. Even when a bunny dug a hole by kicking its hind legs harshly… I would recoil in fear. I would stumble backwards and fall over. The tears wouldn't stop. And the ringing wouldn't either._

Luffy's hair clung with sweat to his small forehead. He curled in on himself, tangling the sheets in his legs and holding his teddy bear tight. Niku-chan* was always there to comfort him, but his black-button eyes didn't give him any hope.

Luffy's breath came in harsh pants as the thunder shook the sky. He could see the white streaks ripping through the dark clouds at ungodly speeds, casting ghostly shadows for a split second before fading away into darkness.

The ringing was unbearable. It made his head pound and his thoughts spin. The ringing would fill his whole head with one thing, and one thing only. Pain.

He could _feel_ the thunder mocking him. The impossibly loud, earth-shaking rumbles shook Luffy's body, the bed posts rattling from the immense shock.

The little boy whimpered.

_I've always been scared of loud noises. I still am. But there would always be someone to cuddle beside me and wipe the tears away. Someone to hold me and say that everything's alright. And that someone... Is my onii-chan*. Ace._

Suddenly Luffy felt warm arms wrap around him from behind, and comforting warmth covering him. Luffy's eyes sprung open and he stared into the darkness.

The warmth spread through his whole body, making his tense muscles loosen up and his heart stop beating so painfully.

"Onii-chan…!" Luffy snuggled backwards, absorbing as much of the warmth as he could.

_Ace was always warm. _

Ace flipped Luffy over himself, so that his own back faced the scary, dark corners of their room. Luffy turned himself around so that he was staring into Ace's eyes.

"Onii-chan… I-I'm sc-c-are-ed..!" Luffy felt something warm trail down his cheeks, and his throat tightened with a lump.

Ace chuckled and pulled his little brother close to him, wrapping the blanket around them tightly. "Daijoubu*, Luffy. Your onii-chan is here. What's there to be scared of, huh? Don't tell me you think your onii-chan can't kick any monsters' asses?"

Ace smiled in the pitch-black dark, but Luffy saw the grin as clear as day.

Ace saw his little brother break into a slow, hopeful and relieved smile. "I love you, onii-chan.." He snuggled into Ace's chest.

"You know, Luffy. Someday you might not be scared anymore. But until you reach that someday, your onii-chan will always be here, backing you up. Got it?"

Luffy's eyes brimmed with more tears and he let out a soft hum of agreement.

Suddenly there was an immensely loud crack of thunder that made Luffy's blood run cold and his bones shiver.

"ACE!" Luffy screamed, wrapping his arms around his older brother, burying his face in Ace's orange T-shirt. Ace's arms immediately went around Luffy protectively, whispering soothing noises into Luffy's tiny ear frantically.

_This is bad…He's shaking like a leaf. His skin is so cold…Even though he's sweating crazily. What am I supposed to do…?_

Ace bit his lip in worry, trying to figure out a way to get the real Luffy back. _His _Luffy back. The Luffy that would smile through a bloody punch and grin cheekily at the biggest, meanest person in town.

Luffy was still shivering violently, and his hands had left Ace and were covering his ears. "Th-the ringing..! I-It _hurts_, nii-chan*…!"

A tear escaped from Ace's eye as the older sibling grew frustrated over the thunder. _Damn thunder… Breaking _my _Luffy like this…!_

Ace turned back to his little brother, who had gone a sickly pale.

A brilliant idea suddenly showed itself to Ace, and the older sibling's eyes lit up.

"Don't worry, Lu. Watch your onii-chan kick this monster's ass, okay? Here I go. Don't be frightened. Remember, it's just your nii-chan. I'm _not_ a monster, okay?" Ace whispered into Luffy's ear, followed by a soft whimper from the younger sibling.

Ace started yelling at their bedroom window.

"YOU DAMN THUNDER! YOU THINK I'LL LET IT GO AFTER YOU'VE MADE MY OTOTO* CRY?

YOU'D BETTER START RUNNING NOW, SHITHEAD! I'M GONNA KICK YOUR ASS TO THE MOON REAL SOON IF YOU DON'T LEAVE MY OTOTO THE HELL ALONE!

YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A BIG, BAD WOLF TRYING TO EAT UP _MY _LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD AREN'T YOU?

WELL, GUESS WHAT, BASTARD, I'M THE DAMN WOODCUTTER! SO GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE!"

Luffy cringed at his older brother's yelling, but blushed at his _very_ open love for him.

Suddenly Luffy stopped shaking. The ringing disappeared. Luffy brought his big eyes to the window, not hearing the thunder that _should_ have been there.

The storm was gone.

There were no clouds. No lightning flashes. No thunder.

_Good… I hit the nail right on the head. My prediction was right..! The storm was going to end soon, and my timing was juuuust right!_

Ace gave a silent sigh of relief.

Luffy turned to Ace and looked up at his big brother in awe. "Nii-chan… How'd you do that? You kicked the _thunder's_ ass like it was nothing! You're amazing!"

Luffy hugged Ace, holding him in a death-grip.

Ace choked slightly and punched Luffy in the head lightly, afterwards rubbing his brother's head soothingly.

"All better now, Lu?"

"Mn!" The younger sibling grinned sweetly.

_Ace was always _so_ warm._

"Na, Ace! You're the best big brother ever! I really… love you."

Luffy blushed darkly and his lips trembled softly. Ace grinned down at his adorable baby brother.

"I love you too Luffy. I'll kick any monster's ass you want me to."

Luffy smiled, and Ace brought his face down to Luffy's, planting a sweet kiss on his ototo's cheek.

_Ace would always be there to chase the monsters away. To make the ringing disappear. _

_I'll always love Ace._

"I'll always love you, nii-chan…" Luffy drifted off into the darkness in Ace's protective arms, cuddling with him.

"Me too, Luffy…" Ace's head fell onto his brother's and he too, drifted off.

_I'd always be scared until one day. But now… I don't think I'm all that scared anymore._

**OoOoOoOoOo**

***onii-chan – older brother**

***daijoubu – it's alright/everything's okay/don't worry/it's fine**

***niku-chan – 'niku' is 'bear' and 'chan' is a way of addressing something cute in a fond, casual way. [In Luffy's case.]**

***nii-chan – another way of saying/a nickname for 'older brother'**

***ototo – younger brother**

**Yosh... That was the 3rd Chapter! Hope you guys liked it! Please leave a review! Anything I can improve on..? Anything missing or not quite right with the story? THANK YOU FOR READING CHAPTER 3! I LOVE YOU! ;p**


	4. Quid Pro Quo: One Thing For Another

**Hello everyone! :) Hehe, hope you guys are liking the story so far! Thank You so much for all your nice reviews, favorites and follows! It really gets me fired up to write! And of course, special thanks to EVERYONE! :)**

**Theme: Quid Pro Quo [One Thing for Another]**

**Pairing: Ace x Luffy**

**Rating: K+ - T**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own One Piece, if I did I would start world domination with the Straw Hat team.**

**[Quid Pro Quo; One Thing for Another.]**

I_ couldn't _believe _what Ace was threatening me with._

He had a smirk plastered on his face, with his dark, fluffy hair messed up sexily. His eyes were cunning, mischievous and playful, all at once.

Luffy's red car keys were dangling from his fingers, swaying and clinking in the breeze that swept through the school's parking lot.

The school's worst bad boy was tempting the innocent straw hatted boy just a _little_ too much.

"Ace…! You can't be serious! I-I can't do it! Don't make me choose! Ace!" The smaller boy pleaded, the strain could be heard clearly in his desperate voice. Luffy threw his tanned hands out, clenching his palms into tight fists.

Ace chuckled and looked down at Luffy, with that oh-so-tempting smirk still in place. He was playing this game so well that Luffy's heart felt like it was going to burst from the agony.

"Warui*, na, Luffy. But you've got to choose. It's one thing over another. The words that leave your lips will be the final ones. I won't ask you twice.." He spoke in a teasing voice that drove Luffy over the edge. Just when Luffy thought his heart couldn't feel any bigger, Ace winked at him, licking his lips.

_Damn, was he sexy, and the bastard knew it._ The whole world knew it, in fact; Ace was pushing his vibrant, glowing presence onto it.

Luffy could feel his cheeks burn as the thumping of his heart in his ears got oh, so much louder.

Ace kept looking into Luffy's trembling eyes; waiting for a decision that he _knew_ he couldn't make.

Luffy sighed in defeat and leaned into Ace's neck, whispering something into his ear.

Suddenly Ace's eyes lit up, and a huge grin nearly split his face in half. He hugged Luffy tightly, nuzzling his shoulder.

The younger boy had a dark blush across his cheeks, and the tips of his ears. His lips were quivering, and his big, brown eyes looked anywhere but at Ace.

"Let's go, Luffy! To the movies!" The older boy winked and put his arm around Luffy, tugging him in close.

Ace looked down into Luffy's eyes, his own full of joy and content. He could feel his own cheeks darken at Luffy's choice, and he gulped slightly. Only this meat-loving idiot could make him feel this way. Nobody else could.

"Can I kiss you?"

Ace asked Luffy honestly, as straightforward as ever. Luffy felt a jolt go through him, and the dark blush on his cheeks grew even darker. His tummy felt warm, and his mouth throbbed for warmth.

Now, Luffy knew he was an idiot, but not a big enough idiot to blame the weird feeling in his stomach on hunger.

The question hung in the air, and Ace waited for the younger boy to speak.

"Y-Yeah.."

Luffy's lips were parted slightly from Ace's sudden hug, and that increased Ace's hunger even more. Ace couldn't wait another second and brought his lips to Luffy's, tasting him for the first time. A gasp escaped Luffy's lips, which turned Ace on even more than he already was.

Luffy could feel Ace everywhere.

On his lips, on his chest, his legs, his hair, his neck. Everywhere was attacked by either Ace's lips or his body. The kiss was so sweet and soft, yet so feverish and hard.

Luffy had never felt so alive. Not even with meat.

Ace pulled away slowly, smiling down at him gently. Luffy just had his first kiss taken from him. _Damn it, his freckles make him look way too cute!_ Luffy's hand went over his mouth, his eyes bright and happy from the kiss.

Luffy smiled at the older boy, and grasped the bigger hand in his smaller one.

No words needed to be spoken to get across each other's messages.

One's eyes said _I love you._

The other's said _That was my first kiss, you know?_

As they walked towards Luffy's car, a small piece of white paper fell to the gravel.

_Which would you choose?_

_A: A 100 kilo stack of free meat_

_B: A date with this sexy beast_

_Remember, it's one thing for the other! A/B. _

_P.S. And in case you were wondering, yes, the meat does have your favorite sauce._

_P.S.S. Don't forget to meet me at the parking lot after school! (ABSOLUTELY NO ZORO. HE'S HAD YOU FOR TOO LONG. IT'S MY TURN NOW.)_

_P.S.S.S. I love you._

_XOXO_

_Ace_

Ace ended up treating his date to the 100 kilo stack of meat anyway, in a restaurant that called itself Baratie.

The blonde chef with the curly eyebrow made Ace just a _little_ jealous though.

***warui - a casual/playful/smartass way of saying 'sorry' [In Ace's case]**

**Yosh! That was the.. 4th Chapter? Hope you liked it! (And that it satisfied your daily fanfic needs!) Please leave a review! Flames are very much welcome, because I take criticism as a power-up! /(*3*)/**


	5. Last in Line

**Hey, everyone! Thank You very much for all the nice reviews, follows and favorites, it's really pushing me on! :) This fic is dedicated to TunaFish Of Vongola, who requested for a jealous Ace kissing Luffy! ;)**

**Theme: Last in Line**

**Pairing: Ace x Luffy, with a hint of Law x Luffy**

**Rating: T**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own One Piece, if I did... Well, I'd turn in into a yaoi fiesta that doesn't look too pretty.**

**[Last in Line.]**

Luffy was absolutely _fuming_.

So many bodies danced, moved and screamed in front of him. The ceiling was so high it couldn't be seen, and the lights were all turned off, save for the glowing disco balls hanging from the ceiling and the madly flashing strobe lights that threw colors from red to purple over anything and everything.

The disco balls looked like small suns, reflecting harsh white spotlights into his chocolate eyes. The sea of people in front of him moved to the beat of the music pounding from the boom boxes and the loud speakers. The spotlights were getting more glaring with every passing minute.

The stench of the crowd, their sweating and heaving, made the 17-year-old recoil and cringe. The tall, bulky bodyguards in their professional black suits and ties lined the concert hall, their mouths thin lines with their shiny silver earpieces.

It was the most heart-pounding, fast-paced concert Luffy had ever stepped foot into.

His red dress shirt, rolled up to his elbows and fastened there with buttons, was already starting to get soaked with his sweat and his forehead and cheeks had a faint red glow.

Luffy clenched his fists and growled. He did everything he could to see the big stage. He jumped as high as he could, stood on his tiptoes, and tried waving his arms for leverage. But the crowd swayed and danced too wildly for Luffy to get a clear glimpse.

Everybody who had sense in the concert hall was cheering madly for the man they had come to see in the real flesh and bone. Everyone was going crazy, some were even tearing up.

And in the center of all that attention, was Luffy's older brother.

Portgas D. Ace.

The world's golden boy, whose every word that slipped out of his lips would turn every man and every woman to jelly before him.

His music was legendary, and so were his looks. His dark hair and deep eyes gave him a devilish look, and the freckles dotting his cheeks gave him a boyish and _very_ sexy charm. His abs were something else, too. His figure itself was a work of art renowned by people around the world.

Not one person on the planet didn't know of Portgas D. Ace.

And Luffy was at the town's concert, trying to see his older brother for the first time after three years. It had been so painful without Ace around, and now Luffy had screwed up. Big time.

Zoro had made him late, driving in his car with his ridiculous sense of direction. Luffy had bought the last ticket at the booth, wanting to see his nii-chan so damn badly.

But he'd been last in line.

So now the younger sibling was stuck way at the back, right in front of the entrance doors, his only company being scattered popcorn and spilled Coke.

Once you were last in line, nothing could save you. Nothing would bring you closer to that stage. And Luffy knew this damn well.

_Ace..! Gomen, nii-chan..! I-I c-c-ouldn't k-keep our promise-e..!_

The younger sibling felt something warm trail down his left cheek, and he bit his lip, drawing blood. His heart felt really heavy, and there was a tight lump in his throat.

Suddenly there was something warm wrapped around his slim waist. It held him tightly, and there was something else nuzzling into his shoulder.

Someone whispered into Luffy's ear, "Why're you so sad, Straw Hat-ya*? Why, when _I'm _here?"

Luffy recognized the deep, alluring voice instantly, and a grin broke out on his face when he looked down at the hands that clasped him at the waist.

D.E.A.T.H.

Luffy whirled around and his arms instinctively went around Law's shoulders, burying his face in his soft chest. Law wore a black-and-yellow sweater that Luffy loved to no end.

Countless times before falling unconscious, the telltale black and yellow flitting around the edges of his vision always sparked a flaring hope in him. Countless times when he needed a shoulder to cry on, or a sleeve to tug at, or a hoodie to store his sweets in, that black-and-yellow sweater was always there.

Law could see the younger boy hunch in on himself, his shoulders shaking and his breath coming in skipped beats. The older teen's eyes darkened on realization immediately. _That directionless idiot must've driven Luffy-ya here. He got his bike turned into a pile of twisted metal not too long ago. I'll make myself remember to bash his head in later…_

Law clenched his jaw, and a prominent vein popped in his forehead. His eyes were dark, and he looked down at the shivering boy, his eyes turning into black orbs of worry.

"I-I… C-can't see A-Ace! I-I c-came-e la-ate!" Luffy broke into pained sobs and clutched at Law, soaking his sweater with harsh tears.

Suddenly the crowd around them erupted into a thunderous cheer, and the concert grew even madder than it already was. More drinks and popcorn were being flung in the air, and the toiling mass of bodies danced harder, faster, wilder.

Law brought Luffy into his chest closely, shielding him from the airborne food. His sweater sleeve was soaked with fizzy drinks.

The guy everyone had been waitin- no, _dying_, to see, had finally took a step onto the enormous stage.

He waved his lean, muscular hand to the crowd, and they went into a wild frenzy again. "How're you guys? This sexy, hell of a guy is here! Are you guys ready to rock?!"

His vibrant voice blared throughout the entire concert hall, and his body started turning into crackling flames. It was something he did before every performance – to burst into flames. It was a trick nobody could understand, because his body itself seemed to turn into fire, right before the crowd's watching eyes.

The thunderous roar from the crowd and Ace's shout drowned out everything else, and Luffy's sobs were like tiny mice running through a house full of enormous cats.

Law was frantically trying to think of how Luffy could catch his older brother's attention. He held the younger, broken boy tightly, wishing to take all of his pain onto himself.

Law glanced around the concert hall, his eyes flicking from posters to chairs to the ceiling. Suddenly he glimpsed a picture of a musical that was going on downtown, in a couple days.

_KISS! THE WORLD PREMIERE MUSICAL! TICKETS ARE SELLING LIKE WILDFIRE, SO HURRY AND GET YOURS TODAY!_

There was a picture of a crying woman in a red dress with a dull yellow hat kissing a good-looking robber in black-and-yellow jail clothing, and another man was watching them in shock; his coat was on fire.

Law's eyes took on a knowing glint, and a devilish smirk was plastered on his face in no time. He looked up at the stage, where Ace was chatting cheekily with the roaring crowd.

"Luffy…Luffy…Time to look up, now…" Law whispered softly, patting the raven's head gently and tilting his small, defiant chin up.

Luffy's eyes were watery and his mouth was a sad pout. "Luffy, I've got a brilliant idea. You'll definitely catch your onii-chan's attention with this. I need you to completely trust me."

Law looked down at Luffy, whose eyes were brighter and more hoperful. "An idea, huh? Of course I trust you, Traffy!" Luffy smiled through his tears, and Law's face took on a nice shade of red.

"Let's go, then, Luffy-ya."

Law spoke into the thick air as he twisted his fingers in an intricate pattern, never letting go of Luffy.

"Shambles."

The crowd went completely silent. An empty cola cup was heard dropping to the floor.

On the stage, instead of a spotlight, there were two… Guys.

One was leaning into the other, who was smirking at Ace.

Then the crowd went wilder than ever. Some screamed and tried to get onto the stage, clawing their way through over other people.

The bodyguards and the bouncers were in a panic.

"Oi! Who let them on the stage? Get them off right now!" Orders were yelled out as the men in black tried to restrain the furious audience.

That is, until Law kissed Luffy.

Time seemed to stop, and breaths were taken away. All eyes were on the two. Nobody could utter a word at the two guys who went onto the stage and _kissed_.

Law held Luffy in his arms, his lips running over the 17-year-old's, feeling his warmth seep into him. Luffy's eyes stared into Law's with open shock, and he wasn't breathing either.

Law gently prodded Luffy's lips with his tongue, and Luffy's sudden gasp let him taste for the first time. Luffy tasted like strawberries and vanilla. A flavor that was being burned into Law's mind.

But Law wasn't looking at Luffy.

He was looking at his older brother, who was then staring at them with his mouth hung open. The microphone had fallen from his hand a long time ago. Law's eyes were filled with contempt, power and victory. He smirked into the kiss.

Ace was surprised, to say the least. Law kissing his younger brother out of the blue was something that could make anyone surprised.

Law watched as Ace's face contorted from shock, confusion, hurt, and finally fury.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing to _my_ ototo*? Get your hands off of him before I do it for you, bastard."

At the words 'my' and 'ototo' the crowd had already paled. After all, nobody in the world knew that the sexy superstar had a younger brother.

"This is big news! Call the station! We've absolutely got to make full spreads on this!"

"What the fuck? Ace has a little pipsqueak?"

"Get the media! This is making front page!"

Journalists and photographers were snapping madly away at the stage, of all three men.

Law continued kissing Luffy, who was now relaxing into the kiss. He broke away to speak.

"_You're_ ototo? Luffy came all the way here, and even with Zoro making him late for this, he's _crying_ for you. I don't think it's that hard to spot a straw hat and a glaring red shirt, is it?"

Law yelled at Ace, who's face looked crestfallen.

"I-I didn't mean to… Everything's weighing me down too much, I guess I just didn't…"

"Didn't _what_?"

Ace bit his lip. _Luffy has no idea how much I've wanted to meet him… So much that I grew so nervous and afraid… I even tried talking myself out of this meeting of fate, and failed miserably… I had no idea that Luffy would react like this… I'm such a stupid older brother! But now… I've got a chance. And Law is holding it out to me._

_The bastard knew how to show me the truth sometimes._

Ace nodded subtly to Law, who grinned back.

And that moment would forever be known as the world's event of the century.

Ace pulled Luffy out of Law's grasp and brought his younger brother to his chest.

And proceeded to kiss him senseless.

The crowd's eyes bugged out, and their mouths hung open in pure, unexpected shock. The reporters grew frantic, trying to capture every moment and every word.

Ace kissed Luffy hungrily, eating up everything he's longed for the past three years. Luffy's eyes couldn't have gotten any wider or rounder.

Ace drew back and winked at the audience, blowing them a kiss, which many tried to capture in their hands while falling over one another.

"Don't worry, I've got some kisses to spare for you guys, too!"

The crowd roared and screamed.

Under the noise, Ace whispered to Luffy. "I'm sorry. I've hurt you way too much, and I'm a worthless idiot. Let's continue in my dressing room?"

* * *

The next day there was a paper framed in the center of the bustling town, with a strong, steel frame and bullet-proof glass.

It was a newspaper article, and it had three pictures.

The first was about how two strange teenagers had poofed up onto a world-famous stage.

The second one had the two teenagers kissing.

The third was the most heart-pounding. It had Portgas D. Ace… Liplocking with one of the teenagers, who was apparently his younger brother.

The news had spread all around the world in a single night.

Sometimes, being last in line wasn't all that bad.

**OoOoOo**

***-ya - Law says 'ya' after a person's name/nickname**

***ototo - younger brother**

**Phew... 5th Chapter. Thanks for reading! I hit 900 views today.. Not _that _amazing, but I really appreciate it! :) Honestly, was this chapter okay? I personally think it didn't turn out as well as I hoped it would.. Am I just imagining things? Please, pretty please, leave a review and tell me what I suck at! BRING ON THE FLAAAMESSSS! :)**


	6. Boiling Tar

Something… Something hot.

He could feel something mildly warm ghosting over his skin, sending trails of heat that made him shiver. He could see nothing but black, and he couldn't hear anything. A bright, white noise filled his head as he thought- wait a second, he couldn't think at that moment.

The soothing heat entranced him, making him never want to release his grasp on the floaty, dazed feeling that was pooling in him.

Until that mild little spark of heat turned into a burning inferno.

The heat clawed at him, pulling at him with its sharp nails, raking streams of blood across his skin. The crimson liquid dripped in dark, round drops into the flames, burning away into nothing but black ash that flew in the wind to a destination that he didn't know, much less could care about. You couldn't even tell someone had been bleeding above the fire.

He tried to scream. He felt his mouth open and close, looking like a goldfish as he tried to voice his fear and pain. But nothing came out. He screamed and screamed till his throat felt raw and abused.

But still, nothing was heard.

The pain was getting worse. The inferno's flames had changed into smoking magma that melted his body from the inside, scorching him with fingers coated in red hot lava.

He couldn't feel himself breathing either. He couldn't feel the steady beat of his heart in his chest, or the sound of soft breath escaping his trembling lips. He felt like he was dead.

He felt… Alone. And that was a feeling that was all too familiar for him.

Luffy felt himself choke and he struggled and fought with himself, trying to make himself wake up from this unbearable nightmare.

A violent, painful scream tore from his throat, as if his soul had been ripped apart into tiny, little pieces that were crushed and mixed into drinks for monsters that used human bones as toothpicks and human meat as appetizers.

And not many knew, but it's true. His soul _had_ been ripped apart.

And it was all because of the very heat that was abusing his hurt body right then.

Luffy snapped back into consciousness with startling clarity and speed. He felt delirious, and his gaze couldn't stay on one object for too long. He felt like he was looking through a magnifying glass. Everything was clear and defined, everything was crystal clear. Yet he felt like he was the blindest man across the seas.

His arms felt raw and sprained, and he glanced down. There were sturdy, rough ropes tied around him tightly, making his skin red and sore from the pressure.

Luffy's eyes were big and round, trying to understand what was happening and why he was tied up with rope.

He felt like he was… Swaying.

Swaying?

Yes, swaying.

He felt his body move on its own, shifting a little to the right, edging a little to the left. He was dangling from something.

Luffy whipped his head upwards, ignoring the sharp pain that shot through his neck and spine from the pressure building up in his backbone. The rope securely fastened around his waist and arms in an incredibly well-tied knot ran all the way to some rocky ceiling's huge metal hook; that looked too rusty and old to hold up his weight. It looked like it was about to crumble away any second.

The rocks and boulders stuffed into the ceiling seemed like they were going to tumble down onto him, and it looked something like the top of a cave. A sheen of moisture lay coated on the rocks, dripping down onto him in steady streams. The droplets were surprisingly cooling, and Luffy kind of liked the cold water running down his flaming skin.

The funny thing was, he could see something moving on the layer of water. It wasn't alive… It looked more like… A reflection.

There was something bright red and yellow dancing across the water, blossoming into brilliant patterns that looked like big and small flowers dotting a big, dark plane. It looked sticky, and it was swirling around. It was impossibly bright, and Luffy squinted just to catch a glimpse of the reflection.

Luffy felt something tight in his throat, and he let out a violent cough that shook his body. His eyes darkened when he couldn't hear anything.

The chain _looked_ like it was rattling, but he couldn't tell for sure without a sense of sound.

For some reason he felt unbelievably weak and tired…Like all the energy had been drained out of him without a single drop left to spare.

Something cool and hard was wrapped around his wrists tightly, a part of it digging into his palm, making him wince.

He glanced down and saw kairouseki handcuffs. He was in deep trouble, and he knew it damn well. How was he going to get out of this now? Luffy bit his lip, struggling frantically for an answer. His mind was barely skimming the surface of consciousness.

Luffy felt something scorching hot drip on his calf.

It felt like a thousand suns had been flung onto him, and his body curled in agony, while his right leg unconsciously went into a frenzy. He kicked and squirmed, but the heat was still there on his leg. Luffy could feel sweat dripping off of him like waves, and his eyes were glazed over and unfocused.

Until he looked down.

Looking down was the worst thing he could've done. Looking down probably brought everything crashing around him. Looking down was the worst nightmare Luffy could ever imagine.

Tar.

It was everywhere. It was a boiling black mass that floated in itself, making black bubbles that popped after a few seconds. It was bursting upwards. Just like magma, but only a hundred times worse for Luffy.

Luffy's eyes grew bigger than ever, and suddenly the scene exploded with sound, touch and sight, bursting from a seed into a humongous flower that threatened to swallow him alive.

The crackling of fire filled his head, an immense heat gnawed at him, and he could hear screams and shouts, with cursing that undeniably belonged to only one person.

Ace.

_Fuck, I've got to get to Luffy! I don't have time to deal with these fucking bastards! They're in my way, and Luffy is hanging a hundred feet off the ground over the same shit I saved him from when he was five! What the fuck should I do?! Fuck!_

Ace cursed and swore in his head as well as at the ugly mugs that ran at him, trying to get his tough defense down and land a life-ending blow on him. Not that he'd actually let them, anyway.

Ace blocked and evaded their hits, returning them with even more fiery force that left them on the ground begging for mercy. The fear in their eyes was as black as night, and they took a few steps back, only to rampage forward after a fierce battle cry from their leader- the ugliest of them all.

Ace grunted and continued picking them off like flies, his worried eyes returning to his younger brother again and again. The clock was ticking.

And it was ticking fast.

Ace felt the blood pumping in his veins, coursing through his body in a morbid dance as he fought and struck his opponents, trying his best to forge a way to his baby brother through the sea of disgusting green monsters that were in need of serious dental check-ups.

Ace bit his lip and forced the tears back in, making himself be calm and controlled, without panicking. He could only imagine the horror and the _fear_ that Luffy must've been feeling right then.

Out of all the things they could burn, they had to pick tar. Ace could feel Luffy's heart being broken.

"_No! No! Let me go, you jerk! Get off before I give you a punch! It's like pistol fire, you dumb ogre!" Ace paused in his scouting, hearing something echoing from a cluster of rocky caves. His small feet skillfully avoided the broken twigs and leaves as he hurried towards an interestingly familiar voice that had seemed to have gotten itself into trouble. Again. _

_Luffy was trying to be brave again. But Ace could see the fear that laced his voice as clear as day._

_So could the ogres, apparently._

_He heard a sickly laugh, and the crackling of fire. Ace could smell smoke, and as he grew closer he could see rolling fumes of black smoke drifting high into the sky. He could sniff something burning._

_A childish, terrified scream pierced through the air, stabbing Ace right in the heart. "AAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCEEEEEEE! SAAAAAVE MEEEEE, AAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCEEEE!"_

_Ace's feet rushed to the cave at an ungodly speed, his eyes set with a furious determination, his heart burning with rage. He swore he'd kill the bastard that dared lay a finger on his baby brother and made him scream that way. He'd have their bloody hearts wrung up with the laundry._

_Ace burst through the dark entrance, running through a winding tunnel that had snakes slithering across the dirty path and mysterious red eyes watching him run through; following his every move._

_His younger brother's screams grew louder and louder, and Ace ran through a bright, white space that blinded him for a few moments, before his eyes drank in the scene._

_Luffy was tied up, hanging over a huge black cauldron. Two big ogres were staring at him in shock. One was pausing in cutting vegetables, his knife glinting in the light that streamed down into the cave._

_It was then Ace realized the cave was lined with crystals of every shape and size, the shards and jewels jutting out from the ground and growing out of the walls. The light made them shimmer beautifully._

_But Ace didn't give a damn about them. His eyes were trained on the knife in the ogre's hand. It had a red stain on it. A red that Ace knew all too well from scraping his knee or getting a bloody gash from a local bandit. _

_It was human blood._

_Ace's scrutinizing eyes flicked to Luffy, who was trying not to cry and failing miserably. His left cheek had a thick line of red. It was bleeding._

_Ace's blood ran cold and he slowly looked at the ogres, giving them his worst glare. His fist tightened on his jungle knife and metal pipe, as the adrenaline took over and he jumped them, lashing out with full force._

_He managed to knock one of them out with a lucky blow to the temple, but Ace didn't get so lucky with the other one._

_He felt pain shoot up through his left leg, and he stumbled onto the ground, grimacing. He let out a gasp, and felt something hot and warm pool onto the ground._

_He forced himself to get up, but by then the second ogre had already pulled the lever._

_A lever that made Luffy plunge into the cauldron that Ace knew had to be filled with boiling tar._

_Ace felt everything freeze in time with a painful acuteness. He heard his breath ring in his head, his foot scrape the gravel of the cave, his hands push him off the ground. Followed by a frightened scream._

_Ace saw his younger brother falling, and Ace glanced at his left leg, which was twisted at an odd angle. He looked back at his younger brother, his eyes full of dread._

_It was then Ace saw the second ogre-that bastard- pull another lever. This time the boiling tar fell from above._

_It was a fucking torture device._

_Ace could see the telltale glint of sharp metal and spikes peeking out from the tar, thirsting for blood. _

_Ace made a split-second decision, and sprinted forward with all the manly pride he could muster._

"_I've still got a chance. I've still got a chance. I've still got a chance." Ace repeated over and over in his head, going on full speed towards Luffy, forcing himself to ignore the blossoming pain in his left leg._

_He pushed off with his right foot, and with unbelievable power and strength, jumped over the edge of the cauldron._

_His arms held Luffy as he rushed over the cauldron, flying through the air like a high-speed baseball. The tar from above got him, though._

_It burned into his clothed back, singing his skin and making the blood ooze out in pools. Ace screamed from the pain, writhing on the ground, clutching at himself, trying to make the unbearable pain go away._

_His eyes were screwed shut and he was breathing heavily, screaming his throat raw. The tar seeped into his back, making scars and burns that would follow him through his lifetime._

_Luffy lay beside him, with his chains loosened from the fall, sitting in a pool of blood that stained his clothes a deep red._

_Ace was dying._

_Ace was… dying._

_Ace…was…dying…_

_Ace was dying._

_ACE WAS DYING!_

_Luffy scrambled up and immediately started crying, holding his onii-chan, looking upon him with scared eyes and a hopeless look that made him want to curl up into a ball and disappear._

_Ace's screams rang through the cave, making even the crystals grimace from the pain that was so sharp and clear in his voice._

"_NII-CHAN! NII-CHAN! DON'T DIE! PLEASE! DON'T DIE! WHY'D YOU SAVE ME FROM THAT FALLING TAR, NII-CHAN? NII-CHAN! YOUR LEG! IT'S BROKEN! NII-CHAN! DON'T DIE!"_

_Luffy screamed along with his older brother, trying his best to make both of their pain disappear._

_The last thing Luffy could remember was something with a large build and short, grassy-looking white hair knocking out the ogre._

_Luffy's eyes caught the words 'Vice Admiral'._

_Which made him cry even more._

_Jii-chan had seen them. Had seen Ace nearly lose the only life he had._

Luffy's eyes flickered over the cauldron, his heart thumping louder and louder. He remembered the horrifying feeling of dangling over a pot of tar all too well. He remembered everything after it'd been burned into his mind.

And no, there was no pun intended.

He looked back up, his tear-filled eyes watching Ace fight the monsters, running towards him with his bloody hand outstretched; trying to reach Luffy before the clock stopped ticking forever.

_Why? Why does this have to happen again? Ace is saving me from tar! Ace is going to get hurt again! I can't let that happen! Ace needs his younger brother to protect him! I can't always be depending on Ace forever!_

Luffy couldn't help it.

He had to try to get out of these ropes, somehow jump away from the cauldron and onto those rocks by the side, smash some mosters' faces in, save Ace and get the hell outta there.

Luffy's dark eyes dilated from the immense pressure on him, but he didn't falter and focused on surviving.

_Okay, I just need to untie these bloody ropes._

_But.. The handcuffs. Fuck._

_Okay, calm down. Plan B._

_Maybe I could… Shimmy up to the ceiling and grab that metal hook? Yeah, that could work. Though it's pretty risky, and there's a high chance I'll plunge to my death before I even make it halfway up there._

_Fuuuuuuuck._

Luffy bit his pale rosy lip. Hard enough to draw some blood that dripped onto his shirt.

His innocent eyes darted upwards, observing the metal hook and watching how it creaked softly, small pebbles of cave rock occasionally falling.

It was the only chance he had.

_I've gotta do this._

Luffy took a deep breath and grinned before heaving himself up onto the rope, clutching onto it tightly with his strong jaw.

His lean legs twined around the rope effortlessly from years of practice and training. And maybe some games of 'climb-the-rope-or-Ace-will-kill-you'.

He slowly inched upwards. Slowly getting closer to the metal hook.

The heat was getting cooler with every movement upwards, and Luffy moved further and further as the heat slowly died down.

You know how they say when things are going _too _good, something bad just _has_ to happen?

Yeah, that was exactly the case for Luffy.

Luffy was…

Falling?

Luffy was… Falling?!

He… He couldn't be.

He just… Couldn't.

Ace stopped in his tracks, gazing at the scene playing out before his own dark ember eyes.

Everything that happened that day replayed in his head like an automatic tape recorder. It stopped and continuously replayed the moment the tar started falling from above, echoing how Luffy was falling from above right then.

He stood frozen again.

Luffy screamed his name again.

But this time, the cauldron was much too high to jump over,

And this time, there weren't just two ogres.

Just before Luffy hit the black flames, he looked right at Ace and mouthed 'Thank you I love you'.

And grinned.


End file.
